1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to telecommunications, and more specifically, to how calls are routed based on mapping multiple voice identities.
2. Description of Related Art
The widespread adoption of numerous telephony and data communication technologies such as cellular phones, voice over IP, virtual private networks, broadband access, digital subscriber lines, cable modems and other access methods have changed the way people use phones and the way people communicate. Increasingly, people are associated with multiple telephone numbers that require callers who are trying to reach them to try multiple telephone numbers.
Typically, a corporate telephone system user will have a corporate extension telephone number, a personal or corporate mobile telephone and possibly a remote home or branch office telephone number. To finally reach a user, a caller may need to dial two or more telephone numbers before they finally reach the user to whom they wish to speak. In addition to the time it takes the caller to dial multiple telephone numbers, it takes even more time for the user to then retrieve multiple messages when a caller leaves repetitive voice messages on multiple voice message systems. In this scenario, time is not the only asset at stake. Information can also be lost or confused by redundant voice messages on multiple systems making for inefficient communication that can cost time, money and opportunities.
In one scenario of a work place, a user typically has an office phone on his desk, and carries a personal cellular phone. When the user is in his office, he can be reached on his office phone and his cellular phone. When he is in a meeting or in a break room, he can only be reached directly on his cellular phone. When a caller tries to reach a user on his office phone and cannot reach him, the caller has to try to call the user's cellular phone. When the user cannot be reached on either phones, the caller may decide to leave him a voice mail on either one or more of the user's voice answering systems.
In another scenario, the user visits a branch office in a different city. He carries along his cellular phone. In the branch office, he has an office phone with a phone number different from that of his original office phone. The user would need to inform callers of the new phone number if he wants to be reached on the branch office phone. In this scenario, callers may have to try three phone numbers: the original office phone number, a temporary office phone number, and a cellular phone number before they actually reach the user.
In another scenario, the user travels abroad to another country. He decides not to bring his cellular phone because he does not have international roaming services. Instead, he rents a local cellular phone. He would then need to inform potential callers of the new temporary phone number. Callers not informed of the new temporary phone number would have to try his office phone, cellular phone and then perhaps leave him a voice mail, possibly never knowing whether or not the user receives the voice message. The user would then have to check his voice messages very frequently in order to respond to the calls promptly. In this scenario, the user severely limits his accessibility.
In yet another scenario, a user occasionally works from home according to some schedule. While working at home, the user's home phone is his primary means for communication. For callers who are aware that the user works from home on any particular day, they would call his home phone. Other callers who do not know the user's work schedule would have to leave voice mail on his office phone. In order to ensure that he is responding to telephone calls promptly, the user would need to check his office based voice messages continuously throughout the day. Despite the fact that a user has access to one or more telephones, it is not always easy for callers to reach them easily.
Thus there is a need for a system that transparently allows a caller to efficiently reach a user or his primary voice message system.